


Falling slowly

by Lotl101



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Flashbacks, Undercover Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 15:28:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9663572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lotl101/pseuds/Lotl101
Summary: When an assignment requires Hawkeye and Mustang to dance together in front of everyone, what memories will surface?





	

It had been a busy week. It always was, but this week there was an unusual sting operation going on. This week there was to be a ballroom dance contest in honor of the anniversary of the Fuhrher’s rise to power, but it seemed that a less than savory character would be dancing in it. An arms dealer to be specific. In order to both capture him, and get his notes, they’d have to infiltrate the operation and confront him at the dance. When it came down to it, the Lieutenant and Colonel were the only ones who knew a rumba from a foxtrot and so they and their team were assigned that part of the operation. Ed and Al were, for some reason, judged ‘not subtle enough’ for infiltrating the arms group, most likely due to Al’s appearance and Ed’s temper. This put the group in something of a problem, until Mustang said, “hmmmm. I believe one of my contacts will be perfect for this. She’ll be able to get us the information we need. I’ll send a message and then Lieutenant, shall we practice?” He sent a letter containing the relevant details in a long established code and then walked out of the room, with Hawkeye at his heals.

  
They walked to headquarters gym in amicable silence, each preparing themselves for what was ahead. When they arrived at the gym, quiet and empty as per usual this time of day, they closed the door, quickly decided they’d enter the rumba competition under false names, and got to practicing. As Hawkeye’s hand went to Mustang’s shoulder, and his hand to her waist, old times swept over them along with the music.

It was just like when they would sneak study breaks in Sensei Hawkeye’s house. Little Riza would put a record on and make the older and worldlier Roy teach her how to dance. They would start out with Riza standing on Roy’s feet, just swaying back and forth, and then make their way through learning the steps of the dance of the day. The forwards and backwards, the sides-to-sides. When they felt adventurous, they’d throw in spins and dips, laughing quietly so as not to get caught.

* * *

 

But soon practice time was over and the real thing had begun. Roy’s agent was in place, and now it was their turn.  
On a cue from the announcer, many couples took to the floor. The piano started tinkling gently. Words flowed through the air from the singers’ husky voices. As the music started, Riza walked slowly, surely, gracefully towards her entranced partner. Roy held his hand out to her; she grasped it. They began to move.  
As the Colonel stepped forward, the Lieutenant stepped back. As they danced, it was almost like their military bearing faded away and they were just two dancers. A small rock step and then the tide reversed as they moved into a turn, her skirt flaring. Stepping, turning, gliding around the floor they were in complete sync. Their faces were completely serene, they seemed unaware of the world around them. In the surrounding crowd their unit, plus Ed, seemed flabbergasted. They had no idea their King and Queen could dance like that. Ed in particular noticed that not only where they good at dancing, they seemed comfortable in the position as if they had been practicing far longer than the week they had known about the mission. Everything seemed almost familiar to the two dancers.

  
As the music progressed, the partners flowed through hold changes, turns and complicated steps. They seemed to notice nobody else. Then, as the music hit a crescendo, Riza fell into a deep dip with Roy supporting her. Everyone was surprised at the commotion that started at that subtle signal. Riza and Roy, no now they were Second Lieutenant Hawkeye and Colonel Mustang once again, were quickly in action. They abandoned their dance to pursue another goal.

  
Hawkeye pulled her gun and aimed it at the couple that had been dancing nearest them while Mustang pulled on his ignition gloves. Breda found his way to one exit, Havoc to the other, effectively blocking out all ways of leaving. Fuery was still at the tables, but hardly at rest. He was coordinating the operation with the police waiting outside. Ed stood where he was, ready to follow if the target tried to get away. It turns out all the extra prep was unnecessary. The target couple stood frozen where they were, midstep, midsong. The woman seemed unconcerned, but the man looked panicked. His eyes shifted from exit to exit, finding them all blocked. He held his hands up and said, “don’t hurt Vanessa, she’s just a random dancer I found to act as my partner. She knows nothing about this.”

  
Upon hearing this comment, the woman named Vanessa smirked and pulled a wad of papers out of her costume and handed them over to Colonel Mustang. “Oh Roy-Boy, I think you’ll find these useful in nailing him.”

  
“Thanks Ness, I knew I could count on you. Let the Madam know that I’m grateful she let us borrow you. This is exactly what I needed.”  
Handcuffs were quickly applied to the man, and he was escorted to the car waiting outside.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to LadyNorbert and RizasCupcakes for beta reading for me. 
> 
> This idea is entirely based on the dancing post that went around tumblr a few days ago, and this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O21dGiEdE4c. I based their dancing on this particular Rumba.


End file.
